


The Possibility of Friendship

by nathaniel_hp



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-27
Updated: 2012-07-27
Packaged: 2017-11-11 18:45:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/481678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nathaniel_hp/pseuds/nathaniel_hp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“So many qualities are indeed requisite to the possibility of friendship, and so many accidents must concur to its rise and its continuance” (Samuel Johnson)<br/>Remus Lupin witnesses an unlikely friendship when he returns to Hogwarts to teach. He tries to make sense of it and contemplates his own situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Possibility of Friendship

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kelly_chambliss](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelly_chambliss/gifts).



> Massive thanks to my beta Delphi who stepped in at very short notice and without whom this story wouldn't be what it is. Written for the hp_friendship fest on LJ, prompt: _When Remus Lupin arrives at Hogwarts as a professor, among the many astounding things he learns is the fact that Snape's best (maybe only) friend on the staff is none other than Irma Pince, librarian. (Even if we see things from Remus's pov [which is up to you to do or not do as you please], the focus should be on the Pince, Snape relationship.)_ by kelly_chambliss.

  
**The Possibility of Friendship**   


Remus Lupin wiped his hands on his robes as he approached the staff room. Dumbledore had scheduled a staff meeting just for him before the first class of the new school year, as he had been delayed by the full moon. Missing the important pre-term meeting certainly wasn't the best way to begin a new employment.

All heads turned as Remus entered. He scanned the room and found an empty seat next to Severus Snape. He smiled at his former schoolmate as he sat down and was greeted with a familiar lip movement that signalled disgust. After all those years, Remus had hoped for something like a new beginning, but perhaps that was asking too much.

“Well, this is all of us, then. Welcome again, Professors!” Dumbledore opened the meeting, spreading his arms wide as if to embrace the entirety of the Hogwarts staff gathered around the table. “I won't go through everything we discussed last week,” – the pronouncement was greeted with a sigh of relief from several spots around the table – “as Remus has received and read Filius's minutes.” Remus nodded. “I did, however, want all of us to get together before the proper start of term, now that Remus has joined us. Most of you, of course, knew Professor Lupin as a student or went to school with him.” He smiled brightly over at Remus – who nervously answered with a small quirk of his lips – and Severus – who ignored him.

Over the next couple of weeks, Remus noticed that he wasn't the only colleague at the receiving end of Severus's sneers and frowns, which made him feel a little better. But even so, he was lonely.

\\\\\\\////

“Good evening, Madam Pince.”

Irma glanced up from her inventory book over the rim of her glasses.

“Oh, the new professor,” she answered dryly.

Lupin nodded. “Lupin. Remus Lupin. Please to m–”

Irma waved her hand dismissively.

“Um, I would like to have a look at the school's Defence Against the Dark Arts collection, if I may. Just to see–”

“Section D, last three shelves on the right,” Irma interrupted and went back to her inventory.

“Right, thank you,” Lupin mumbled.

Irma let out a breath. Didn't seem too bad, that one. Politeness wasn't a foreign concept for the new professor, which was definitely a plus. And he had asked, not demanded. Unlike some of the other professors, who even if they were friendly didn't make an effort to treat her as an equal. The irregular sound of Lupin's footsteps caught Irma's attention. She looked over to where he was limping along the shelves. He stopped every now and then to more closely examine a volume. His right hand trailed lightly along the spines. Lovingly, Irma thought. Then she remembered what Severus had told her, and the image of a clawed hand ripping at her books made her shudder. Dumbledore had vouched for him, of course, but the thought of a werewolf in her library … She wondered if her predecessor had known, wondered what she had thought about having a werewolf run loose in the library.

“Is it working?”

Irma dropped her book. “Severus,” she scolded, “how often must I tell you not to sneak up on me like that!”

“I have it on good authority that you aren't too bad at sneaking up on people yourself.”

“Students. You know what they're like. When they're quiet, they are up to something.”

“So, is the spell working?” he inquired again.

“It is indeed. So far, all the books that I've cast the spell on find their way back to their proper spot on the shelves after closing time. I'll keep checking, of course, just to make sure. You know what we librarians are like.” She smiled, then continued earnestly, “It'll save me hours of tedious work, if I don't have to tell the books where they belong. Thank you.”

“Don't mention it,” he replied gruffly, then continued, “When do you finish up tonight? I found a fine copy of Gondoline Oliphant's collected letters when I was in London. Well, turns out her letters are actually very interesting. How about–”

Irma cut Severus off as she realised Lupin was standing behind him, a small pile of books cradled in his arms. “Professor Lupin.”

Severus's head whipped around. “Lupin,” he echoed coldly.

“Hello, Severus.” Lupin's smile went unanswered.

Irma saw Severus cross his arms. He turned away from her to face his colleague. There certainly was no friendship lost between the two of them, no matter how hard the werewolf tried. Irma reached out and lightly touched Severus's back. “I'll come see you tonight,” she whispered. “Work is calling.” She gave him a small shove, then turned toward Remus. “I can only let you take those out over night. They need to be back tomorrow morning for the students.”

\\\\\\\////

_Students are less likely to bother her if she appears to be busy. Glaring at them over the top of an important looking book works rather nicely as well. And she can watch them without them realising. It's astounding what those students deem appropriate behaviour when they think no one is looking. They hide piles of books that they need for their assignments instead of returning them to their proper place; they bring in sweets and pumpkin juice. Some of them even make notes in the library books. The first thing Irma did after she took over was to install her grandmother's enchanted mirrors in her back office that allow her to observe even the most remote part of the library._

_The new professor is almost as young as the students, Irma reflects as she watches him from behind the circulation desk over the top of a weighty tome on wizarding libraries. He left Hogwarts only three years before and is the youngest Potions professor the school has ever employed. It's easy to forget just how young he is, though, Irma thinks, looking at the sullen figure crouching over the newest issue of_ Brilliant Brewing. _His place is the only one in plain view of the circulation desk and as such only used by students in dire emergencies. The young professor, however, does not seem to mind her watching him._

Curfew is approaching, and Irma goes to check the mirrors to see how many students she has to chase out of the library today. A pair of Hufflepuffs are playing cards in the Magical Creatures section. Irma lets out an indignant breath – do they not have common rooms for such nonsense? The studious Slytherin girl who comes every day is still writing furiously on her roll of parchment – hopefully without leaving any ink blotches on Irma's precious books. Irma waves her wand, and somewhere deep within the library a bell sounds, signalling closing time. The Slytherin girl's quill flies over the page before descending one last time to mark a satisfyingly final dot at the bottom. The girl gathers parchment and quill and stuffs them into her bag before walking out of the library with a content smile on her face. The two Hufflepuffs have obviously decided that they have enough time to finish their game.

Irma smooths her robes and checks her hair. She strides purposefully out of her office, noticing that the professor has not moved an inch, and makes her way to section C. A quick spell muffles her footsteps as she walks up behind the two students.

“What exactly do you think you are doing?” Irma says in a dangerously quiet tone.

The Hufflepuff boys nearly jump out of their seats.

“We were – we were just –” one of them stutters.

“Leaving?” Irma prompts.

“Leaving, yes,” the stutterer echoes, while his friend nods. They hastily gather their cards and are about to run off when Irma's voice freezes their movements.

“If I catch you playing cards again, I won't be nearly as lenient – you mark my words, boys! This is a library, not a gambling house! Remember that! Now out with you!” she warns as she shoos them towards the door.

When the door shuts behind the fleeing boys, Irma closes her eyes and enjoys the silence. There's still a faint whispering coming from the Restricted Section, where the more potently magical books are housed, but the books are allowed to be as noisy as they like – within reason.

A low chuckle interrupts the librarian's bliss. She whips around. Who dares –

Professor Snape has left his desk and is coming towards her. “They won't forget that in a hurry,” he commends her.

For a second, Irma frowns at him, unsure of whether he's serious or not. A grin is spreading on his sour face, and Irma can't help but reply in kind. That night, the bookish conversation from the Restricted Section isn't the only one to be heard in the library …

Back in his quarters, Remus set down his teacup and stared into the flames. He didn't know whether this was how Severus's and Madam Pince's friendship really started, he supposed. Remus hugged himself tightly and leant forward. The loneliness hurt. He saw ghosts of happy memories wherever he went in the castle; heard Sirius's laughter quietly follow him through the corridors. Sometimes he thought he glimpsed James and Lily as they ran around a corner, laughing and holding hands. Being back at Hogwarts was the best thing that had happened to Remus in a long time. He had a job, bed and board; he was doing something meaningful. And yet he couldn't manage to feel happy, as he was constantly reminded of the best times in his life – now irrevocably lost.

Perhaps it was easier to let go of bad memories – to replace them with good ones – than it was to relinquish your hold on the happiest you have ever felt. Severus was Remus's only remaining connection to a better life, while Remus was no doubt reminding Severus of things he wanted to forget. No room for the possibility of friendship, Remus thought as he finished his lukewarm tea.


End file.
